ATK not taking wounded Chennai lightly

Despite Chennaiyin FC not playing their best football in this season’s Indian Super League (ISL), ATK coach Steve Coppell on Thursday refused to take them lightly and said the defending champions looked good in their last game and they are desperate to log three points too.

ATK, placed sixth on the points table, have won just one of their four fixtures so far while Chennaiyin, languishing at the ninth spot, have got just one point after playing four games.

In their last game against Delhi Dynamos, Chennaiyin wasted a handful of chances, bagging their first point of the season.

Head coach John Gregory, who did not attend the pre-match media interaction due to a sore throat, was disappointed not to have claimed all three in the last game.

“I think in their most recent game they were really good. We are happy to play anybody. We just want the games to come fast so that we can challenge everybody,” Coppell said at the prematch media interaction on the eve of the tie.

Asked if they have an upper hand going in to the game, Coppell said like ATK, Chennaiyin are looking for a win badly too and it will be a hard fought battle.

“I don’t think there’s any advantage. I just think about how we can play the opposition. Can we win the game? Yes of course we can. We have a game plan and hope that will bring fruition and points for us. They are desperate for a win and its going to be a game between two sides fighting for three points at stake.”

“We’ve played four matches and there are some new faces in the team. They are taking some time to settle down. We’re working on our mistakes but I think we’re getting better,” said Chennaiyin assistant coach Sabir Pasha.

NEUFC escape

Farukh Chaudhary’s second half goal salvaged a 1-1draw for Jamshedpur FC against NorthEast United FC in ISL.

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